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Hey guys! Thank you for the warm welcome! I'm excited to talk tattoos with you all! Okay, I'll eventually get the hang of embedding, but for now links to peep's instagrams will have to do. All these are from when the tattoos were still fresh (of the ones I could find) because I actually don't have pictures of my work. But I'll try to get around to taking decent photos of it all healed up and settled. Anyway, let's start: First session for my sleeve with Thomas (going for my second appointment soon): Instagram Instagram Eva is by far the person I have the most work from. Chronologically: Instagram Instagram Instagram Instagram Instagram Instagram From Sarah Carter. Least painful tattoo ever: Instagram My Valerie girls. I love these things: Instagram (Side story: You know that gorgeous punk rock Virgin Mary Valerie did a while back? I was supposed to get a punk girl from her that week she was at Kings Avenue, but decided to delay it because I thought these two made a better pair. And then she came out with that Virgin Mary and I've been kicking myself since. I'm actually thinking of going to England to get a second pair of girls on my calves to finally get my punk girl. She will be mine. Oh yes, she will be mine.) I'll try to get pictures of the other ones, since I couldn't find them online. Disclaimer: My skins swells up like crazy when I get tattooed, so some of these are kinda distorted. Like I said, nice pictures of healed work on their way.

My name is Laura, and I've been a part-time lurker for a while, but finally decided to join today. Though I must say I'm still a bit intimidated, I'm starting to feel more comfortable calling myself a collector, and it seemed fitting to formally join the tattoo community (in however small a way). I'm currently in graduate school and just shy of a couple of years from my PhD in Chemistry. Tattoos have not been a problem, it turns out. On my second year I got pulled aside by a professor who, after seeing my sleeve, went on to show me a couple of Ed Hardy pieces he had done in the 80's. (It was a bit weird, but kinda cool.) I've been fortunate enough to have been tattooed - in chronological order, 'cause why not - by: Eva Huber, Allyson Bennett, Valerie Vargas, Cris Cleen, Steve Whittenberger, Sarah Carter, and Thomas Hooper. I have many more ideas I'd love to see executed by the many insanely talented people in my wishlist, so I hope I can continue to forsake my non-existent savings account for years to come. Anyway, just wanted to shoot the shit with some like-minded folks who enjoy and respect tattooing, artists and enthusiasts alike. So - hey everyone!

Marius Meyer started this one a couple of weeks ago. Gonna add more dragon next time.

Ha! I sat with Garver last Thursday for this.

Just found this and thought I would share. Senior Citizens Reveal What Tattoos Look Like on Aging Skin - My Modern Met

Had the second sitting on my arm with Grez on Saturday, which means another three and a half weeks of impatiently waiting for my next appt. March 14 at King's Ave NYC.

Welcome Laura! Nice intro. I am sure I'm not the only person here who would love to see pictures of your tattoos.

By Jasmin Austin down in Perth, Australia.

Not that i disagree, but pot, kettle, black!

I really need a new job, but for all sorts of reasons i need to wait until June-ish. I love the work, but the company is getting worse and worse. Getting tired of being treated like a tool, and not a person.

Sons Of Bitches. Jealousy x 3

Seth Wood today!!!

Sorry to see you didn't go home with anything, @SeeSea, except this awesomely ironic picture of us being photobombed by Brian O'Halloran from Clerks while wearing a shirt that says "Polite as Fuck." It was cool catching up with you again @Bunny Switchblade, and meeting you @daveborjes.

To be honest, I'm not sure that an effective, low-cost means of removing tattoos will necessarily devalue or undermine the whole process of getting them. At the end of the day, even if you can slather on a cream that will safely and quickly remove a tattoo (..and I still think we'll be waiting a while for that) then, even so, the process of getting the tattoo is still going to remain expensive, time-consuming and painful, right? I can't see anyone having a whim and spending $2000+ dollars on large tattoos on their backs, fronts etc. just because there now exists a means of removing them easier than laser. There are still a lot of bad tattoos out there that people might get rid of if they had the means. On balance, I'm in favour of giving it to them if possible. What really freaks me out is the totally unrelated technology that someone is developing around robotic / automated tattooing....

booked in with tony hundahl for Oklahoma convention! thinking tiger head and cobra but could just do big cobra

Got this last night in Philly from Mikey Holmes. Inner forearm hurts.

A PhD student at Dalhousie is developing an interesting method of removing tattoos. if it holds up to scrutiny, this could be a significant change. Alec Falkenham, Dalhousie student, develops tattoo removal cream - Nova Scotia - CBC News

no ragrets

Great to meet you too, @SeeSea! Here's my recap from the weekend Wrap Up: 2015 Philadealphia Tattoo Convention

Cro Mags. Hardest tattoos ever. This is what tattooed people should look like.

Tattoos truly look better as they age!

You guys should facetime or skype during your sessions. It would be magical.

Our tat-cycles are aligned because I have my next back session then too.

Welcome Laura, I would say you are quite qualified to call yourself a collector. Now let's see em'

I'd rather everyone paid a few pence less to get in, and there wasn't any "entertainment" at conventions. But that might just be me.

Perfect translation. I was thinking something like "Picture not found."

snake with rose done by Marcus Hardy (thats me!) at Planet Ink Tattoos in Hiram, Georgia! there was a terrible light blue and white cross on the wrist, we just blasted over it and will complete the cover with a background once its healed. enjoy!

Hands down for me too... real tender white meat. My chest, nah, back, nah but this took the cake and I get to go back for more in 2 days and 2 weeks later for the other side.

Please forgive the terrible pic. Still one more small session to go. By Papa Joe.

@Mick Weder ...that toad is great. Really like your suit, how the blackground ties it all in together! - - - Updated - - - @Hands On amazing tattoo!

Rib toad

This is my toad - I'd really like another too. - - - Updated - - - Rather fancy a newt too.

Here's my frog, done by Tim Pausinger at The Pearl in Toronto.

...and then there was this genius who set fire to himself and part of the stage. Almost looked like it was part of the act until random people started running in from the sidelines flipping a table and dumping their bottles of water on it. Lucky the fire didn't run all the way up the banners in the back or get out of control. Can you imagine an evacuation at a convention? Caught on Cam: Fire Breather Catches Fire During Tattoo Convention | NBC 10 Philadelphia

My first tattoos Grumblekiddles, by Lorin Hay at Red 5 tattoo

@Cork took 3rd and treated the audience to a quick burlesque after he dropped his drawers for the judge. I think that cost me the win. :). It was a field of almost 30 and some really nice work. Congrats to @Cork!

Thank you @El Domago @polliwog @xcom

His name is Jamie MacPherson. He works for Dutch man tattoo in burnaby bc. Tons of experience. He did my other sleeve as well

Got this little guy yesterday as a 49th birthday/Friday the 13th/30th anniversary of my first tattoo gift to myself from Paul Pearson It's right next to the first tattoo I got 30 years ago.

Got this on the same day i finished my sleeve. lol.

Here is my heart / rose by Talley Matthew. He works quickly and gently. This was super fun, and I'm excited to have a tattoo I can see easily :) Drawn on single needle

Jason Colehour, Lifetime Tattoo Denver Last Friday my girl and I drove down and got some walk ins, I got this fun filler, she got a panther. Fun times

18 hours on a sleeve, your arm must have been worthless that whole week

Booked in with Eddy Deutsche in a couple weeks at Marius Meyer's studio, and I'm getting a small one from Grez at Blue Arms Tattoo in May. So pumped that more and more great tattooers decide to visit Norway when they're out traveling.

@Graeme @xcom my eyes immediately read yay! back outline.

Horimacaroni?

I need to stop reading this thread. I want to start on my torso soon and keep coming back to this thread reading it over and over getting sicker feeling with each reading. My palms are sweating as I type this. I just have to remember each time I get tattooed its not as bad as I think it will be.